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Jonathan Boutin stopped 32 of 36 shots faced in regulation and overtime before allowing 2 goals on 5 attempts to take the shootout loss. Veteran Eric Healey led the way with 2 goals and 2 assists while Daniel Corso had 4 helpers in the contest. Norm Milley had 1 goal and 1 assist and Marek Kvapil scored the game tying goal to send the game into overtime with just 1 second remaining in the third period.

This is the kind of effort the Falcons need out of their veterans in big games, and the team's resiliency was incredible in erasing a two goal third period deficit in a little over 10 minutes. Unfortunately, Springfield now falls 5 points behind Portland for the division lead at 15-13-1 with 31 points. If the season ended today, the Falcons would claim the 8th spot in the Eastern Conference.

Marc Denis stopped 24 of 27 shots faced as the Lightning continue to find new and creative ways to waste opportunities to get points and slide further and further under .500. Ryan Craig had 1 goal and 1 assist in the game while Martin St. Louis scored the other Lightning goal. Individual helpers belonged to Brad Richards, Vaclav Prospal and Eric Perrin.

I'm at a loss for words at this point. When the goaltending plays well, the offense breaks down. When the offense plays well the defense breaks down. And when this team gets in a one goal game, it seems incapable of making that one critical play it needs to stay out of the loss column. How does a team that has won so many games over the past two seasons forget how to do the little things that will put them over the top in a close game?

Don't look now, but the Panthers are just 2 points behind in the standings. Good grief.

Karri Ramo, who lost his mojo somewhere on the flight between Ottawa and Springfield after his brief recall to the Lightning, stopped just 15 of 20 shots faced. Norm Milley and Andy Delmore had garbage time goals for the birds with helpers belonging to Eric Healey, Daniel Corso and Randy Rowe. The one positive to take from the game is that the Falcons did outshoot Norfolk a commanding 39-20, so they're edging closer to being ready for primetime. Still, if Norfolk is a good measuring stick for the team's progress, they have some work yet to do. Tomorrow is an even more critical divisional game, however, as the Falcons face the Atlantic Division topping Portland Pirates whom the birds trail by just 4 points in the standings now. I would expect the hot hand, Jonathan Boutin, to be in net for that key matchup.